Over the past 50 years, much progress has been made in making coatings more environmentally benign, largely due to the collective efforts of coatings technologists around the world. The volatile organic content of coatings formulas has steadily decreased, heavy metals have been reduced or eliminated, and coating longevity has dramatically improved (mitigating the need for frequent repainting). Compact coating processes have reduced the amount of energy required to cure thermoset coating systems. Indeed, coating technologists can be proud of the progress made to date, but much work remains to be done. Currently, formulators are dealing with new regulatory issues like removal of bisphenol-A, N-methyl pyrrolidone, cobalt drier, formaldehyde, and isothiazolones from coatings. Corrosion leading to crumbling infrastructure is still a global issue, and chromium remains one of the most effective corrosion inhibitors. Sustainability of coatings products and processes is receiving renewed attention. We will evaluate the progress made in the reduction of coating environmental impact to date, and look forward to the most important opportunities for future improvement.
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